Pneumatic blank-transferring mechanism.



M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER. PNEUMATIC BLANK TRANSFERRINGMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. B, 1916.

7 1 9 1 1 3 y m. J d w H w ow P 3 SHEETS-SHEET'1.

M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER.

PNEUMATIC BLANK TRANSFERRING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men FEB. a. 1916.

1 $35,499.. Patented July 31, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- M. E. PETERS, G. H. FAIH &A. F. MILLER.

PNEUMAHC BLAN K TRANSFERRING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8|I-9I-6.

1,285,499, Patented July 31, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- ES PATENT FFTEE.

MELVILLE E. PETERS, GEORGE H. PATH, AND ALBERT F. MILLER, OF DENVER,COLO- RAIDO, ASSIGNORS TO THE PETERS PATENT RIGHTS COMPANY, OF DENVER,COLO- RAIDO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed February 8, 1916. Serial No. 76,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MELVILLE E. PETERS, Groncn H. FATH, and ALBERT F.MILLER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at the cityand county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new anduseful Pneumatic Blank-Transferring Mechanism, of which the following isa specification.

Our invention relates to a new pneumatic transfer mechanism for pickingup and transferring'either wet or dry gummed or ungummed printed orunprinted blanks or labels of paper, silk, leather, or other su1tablematerial; and the objects of our invention are: p

First, to provide means for transferring blanks from any blank feedingdevice to a table, from which they may be taken by the machine that isto use them.

Second, to provide a transfer mechanism that will transfer gummed blanksto box wrapping machines. And

Third, to provide a simple and reliable adjustable throw reciprocalstroke blank transferring mechanism.

We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1, is a side elevation of our improved blank or label transferrinmachine.

Fig. 2, is a plan View of the same.

Fig. 3, is a front view, showing the cams and other mechanism foroperating the transferring mechanism.

Fig. 4, is an elevation of a portion of the rear end of the machinetaken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, is a planfview of one side of the rear portion of the machine,showing more clearly the connection between the lazy tongs and itsoperating screw rod.

Fi 6, is a side elevation of one of the traction tubes and itssupporting bracket. And i Fig. 7 is a front view of Fig. 6, a portiononly of the bracket-supporting bar and the air su ply tube being shown.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Gummed blanks or dry blanks or labels are fed to our blank transferringmechanism by any blank feeding mechanism, but in case gummed andtempered blanks are fed to it they may be fed to it by an endlessgripper apron conveyer, such as is illustrated in our pendingapplication Serial No. 30471 filed May 25,1915, for a pneumaticallycontrolled and automatically operating blank gumming machine.

This particular blank conveyer is provided with aprons and blankgrippers that hold the blanks out flat as they feed them along, and thegrippers release the blanks one at a time in operative relation to theblank lifting pneumatic air suction blank gripping tubes of our presentinvention, which are constructed as follows:

The air suction tubes 1 that grab and lift the blank at the grippersreleasing station of the conveyer are supported in clips 2 that areadjustably mounted on a cross bar 3 that extends acrossthe machine andis secured at one end to a reciprocating block 4:. The cross bar isprovided with slots 5 and the clips are secured in adjusted positions onthis bar in these slots by cap screws 6 which are arranged to projectthrough the slots and clamp the clips to the cross bar 3. The clipsproject forward from the bar and are provided with lug portions in whichthe air suction tubes 1 are secured to stand in vertical lanes, and theyare provided with springs 7 and collars 8 that enable them to bear witha yielding pressure against the blanks. We illustrate but two of theseair suction tubes, but more may be used if desired.

The lower ends of these tubes are arranged to rest directly on theblanks, while their upper ends are connected to tubes 9, which connectwith a pipe 10, which connects with a hose or pipe 11, that extend tothe air pump12 which is secured to the bed plate of the machine, onwhich our blank transferring mechanism is placed. The block 4 to whichthis air tube supporting cross bar 3 is secured is reciprocall mountedon a horizontally arranged gui e bar 13, which is fixed to the upper endof a'vertically arranged reciprocating bar 1 1 that is slid- .ablymounted in cleats 15 that are secured to the adjacent side frame B ofthe machine, and this guide bar and the vertically ar ranged bar have ashort vertical movement which is effected by a connecting rod 16 that ispivotally attached at one end to the lower end of the verticallyreciprocating bar 1e and at its opposite end is secured to a lever 17that is rigidly secured upon the adjacent end of a rock shaft 18 that ismounted in the side frames A and B of the machine. Rigidly mounted onthis shaft 18 is a lever 19, the ppposite end of which is provided witha roller 20 that is arranged to en age a cam 21' that is formed on thecam disk 22 which is secured on a shaft 27.

A connecting rod 23 is pivotally connected at one end to thereciprocating block a and at its opposite end it is pivotally secured tothe upper end of a vertically disposed rock arm 24, which is pivotallysecured adjacent to its lower end by a bolt to the adjacent side of theside frame B of the machine. The lower end of this rock arm is providedwith a roller 25 which is arranged to engage a cam surface formed on acam disk 26 which is mounted on the shaft 27. When a blank arrives atits releasing station, the guide bar, the cam 21 and the rock arm 17instantly cause the vertically reciprocating bar 14; and the horizontalguide bar 13 to instantly drop, and in doing so the inlet apertures ofthe air suction tubes 1 drop down on top of and against the advance edgeof the blank and by an air suction impulse, grip the blank to thetubes 1. The next instant the horizontal guide bar 13 is raised up tothe top of the upward stroke of the vertical bars vertical movement bythe cam 21 a id rock arm 17 and the connecting rod 16, which upwardmovement lifts the air suction tubes and the blank enough above theconveyer belt to allow the blank to clear the same.

The next instant the air tubes and the blank; and the block are shotforward on the horizontal guide bar 13 by the rock arm 2% and cam 26 andthe connecting rod 23 over onto the top of a flat thin table por tion28, which may be made of any suitable material or metal, but whichpreferably consists of a flat smooth sheet of aluminum. The instant theail-suction tubes arrive at their blank dropping station on this table,the cam 21' and rock arm 19 cause the vertical reciprocating lever todrop and the horizontal guide bar 13 and the air suction tubes 1 to dropwith the blank and deposit it on the front edge of the table 28 over astraight row of air suction apertures 29 that extend transversely acrossthe table along and underneath the edge portion of the blank where it isdeposited by the air suction tubes 1, the forward stroke of thereciprocal movement of which is so relatively arranged with the tableand its row of air suction apertures that air suction tubes drop andpress the advance edge of the blank directly on top of and against theair suction apertures when the air suction impulse of the air suctiontubes is broken by the reverse movement of the piston of the incense airpump 12, which is operated by a cam 30' and lever mechanism 31, tooperatively create a suction impulse in the tubes at the instant a blankis released by the grippers and to break this impulse at the instant theair tubes deposit the blank on top of the air suction apertures of thetable.

Then instantly after the air tubes 1 have deposited the blank, they areagain lifted by the cam 21 and rock arm 19 and are then instantlyreturned on their backward stroke, and when they arrive at theirstarting point they are ready to drop down onto another blank at thefeeding station or at the blank apron gripper conveying releasingstation.

The blank is now deposited on the table and is held there by the airsuction force, but it still has one more forward movement to make toplace it in position to be dis charged entirely from the mechanism ofblank transferring machine.

This last -movement is necessary to move the gummed and tempered blanksquickly into a position in which they can be quickly gripped by airsuction device onto the machine that is to make use of them. If,however, the blank is a gummed and tempered blank, it is shot directlyonto the platen of a box covering machine. It is also necessary in orderto provide means by which blanks of diiderent sizes may be moveddifferent distances in order to connect in proper order and time withthe feed movements of the box covering machine with which our blanktransfer mechanism is connected. This last forward movement is effectedby bodily shooting the table upon which the blank has been deposited bythe air suction tubes and with the blank upon it forward a predetermineddistance. To accomplish this, the table is secured along its sides tothe tubes 32 which are slidingly mounted within tubes 33 that areclamped to blocks 34 which are secured to the side frames A and B of themachine'to which our blank transferring mechanism is attached. Theforward ends of the tubes 32 rest on rollers 35 that are secured to theends of bracket 36 that are attached to the rear edges of the sideframes. The front edge portion of the table is secured at its center tothe meeting ends of the folding and opening members 37 of lazy tongsdevice, the rear ends of which are connected to a pair of nut-blocks 38that are threadedly mounted on right and left handed threaded portions39 and 40 of a small shaft 41 which is journaled in bearings formedin'theside frames of the machine. One end of this threaded shaft extendsbeyond the frame A and upon its end a gear 42 is secured, which mesheswith a vertical rack bar 43 that is slidably mounted in cleats 44: thatare secured to the adjacent side frame of the machine. A sliding block45 is mounted on the rack bar 43 which operates this rack bar byengaging two collars 46 and 47, the lower collar 47 being fixed andpositioned so that the downward movement of the block strikes it andmoves it to draw the table back to its normal position and close up thelazy tongs. The upper collar is adjustable in a slot 48 formed in therack bar, by means of a screw 49, and is set to let the table and thelazy tongs move any part of their full reciprocal stroke desired by theoperator. This is accomplished in this manner: As the block slides onthe rack bar it does not start to raise the rack bar until it strikesthe collar 46 and if the collar is down to the bottom of the slot therack bar will be raised high enough to rotate the pinion to move thetable and its lazy tongs to the full extent of the reciprocal throwmovement of the lazy tongs, but if the collar 46 is set say at one-halfof the length of the slot 48 the block would move up until it struck itwithout raising the rack bar, and the table would be moved only one-halfof its reciprocal throw movement. This adjustment is made to allow thethrow of the table to be set to bring the centers of the smaller blanksand also of the larger blanks at the same relative distance from thecenter of the position to which they are to be moved, and if a boxwrapping machine, to the center of the platen of the box wrappingmachine.

The sliding block is reciprocated by a connecting rod 50 which ispivotally connected to it at one end andat its opposite end is connectedto one end of a lever 51 that is provided with a hub 52 that ispivotally connected to the side frame of the machine by a stud bolt.This stud bolt passes through the frame A and on the opposite end oneend of a crank arm 53 is secured, the opposite end of which is engagedby a cam 54 formed on the cam disk 22 that is mounted on the shaft 27.Consequently this cam and the levers 51, 53 and 50 and the sliding block45 andthe rack bar 43 rotate the pinion 42 and the threaded shaft 41that draws the nut-blocks 38 together on the shaft and expands the lazytongs to move the table quickly outward or move them outward to draw thetable back to its normal blank receiving position. -The-front edge ofthe table is notched with recesses 55 and the suction air device thattakes the blank from the table is arranged with air suction tubes thatare adapted to fit into them so that the air suction apertures of eachwill be in alinement with the other.

From the above it will be seen that our blank transferring mechanism canbe ap plied to any machine and that it will transfer either dry or wetor gummed blanks, tempered or untempered, but assuming that it is to beused for transferring gummed and tempered blanks to a box wrappingmachine, our present invention will make this transfer of the blankautomatically and in time relation to the speed at which gummed andtempered blanks are fed to it. This is of vital importance, as up to thepresent time this work of transferring freshly gummed blanks in agumming machine of'any character to the platen of a box wrapping orcovering machine, has been done by hand, and it requires two operatorsto do it, one operator to take the blanks from the gumming machine andplace them in a position where the operator at the box wrapping machinecan readily pick them up one by one and place them centrally on theplaten of the box wrapping or covering ma chine and hold them thereuntil boxes are moved against them. This manual method of transferringthe gummed blanks to the platen is slow, and results in occasionalmisplacement of the blanks, withthe consequent improperly covered orwrapped box, which has toeither be patched by hand or thrown away.

There are a number of ways in which this gummed blank transfer featureof our invention may be constructed, arranged and applied to effect thedesired result. We preferably however, carry out this feature of ourinvention in the following manner:

To the bed plate C, between the side frames A and B of the machine towhich our invention is applied, we secure an air pump 56 which isarranged and adapted to furnish an air suction impulse force to blankreceiving, gripping and releasing nozzles 57 that acts cotiperativelywith the air suction apertures of the suction box of the table 28 toreceive, grip and hold to the blanks when the table has advanced them tothe limit of its forward delivery movement, and has released them sothat when the table moves backward on the rearward stroke of itsreciprocal movement the blank is held by this blank receiving airsuction gripping" nozzle in its proper centralized position directlyover and resting on the platen 58 of a box wrapping or covering machine,which being in operation feeds a box on top of it and manipulates it tocover the box. This box wrapping or covering machine may be of any styleused in pasteboard box covering trade, and neither the machine nor itsplaten forms any part of our invention, but it is essential'that thisblank receiving nozzle or some other equally effective blank grippingand holding device be mounted on the box wrapping or covering machine toreceive and hold the delivered and discharged gummed and tempered blanksas they are fed to it.

The blank discharging and delivering table makes an instantaneousinterlocking blank delivering and receiving connection can:

with this blank receiving nozzle, which with the air pump 56 isconstructed and arranged as follows:

This air pump like all of the other air suction producing pumps on themachine consists of a cylinder in which a piston is reciprocally andoperatively 'mounted to produce an .air suction impulse force having apiston rod 59, the outer end of which is secured to one end of a rockarm 60, the

opposite end of which'is secured on a shaft 51, that extends acrossbetween the frames A and B and is journaled in them. This rock arm isprovided with a roller 62 that engages a cam 63 that is formed on a disk6%- that is secured on the auxiliary driving shaft 27 which as it isrotated from the main driving shaft 65 of the machine through the mediumof a sprocket chain 66 and its supporting wheels actuates the rock armto'manipulate the piston of the air pump to produce the suction forcenecessary to successfully operate the blank re ceiving and grippingnozzle which we arrange to oscillate to and from the table.

The cylinder of the air pump is provided with an air inlet nipple 6'?and also with an air escape aperture 68. One end of an air tube 69 isconnected to the cylinder inlet nippleoi', which extends part way fromthe cylinder toward the oscillating nozzle in the form of a metal tube,which connects with a section, of flexible tube 70 that connects to thelower end of the oscillating nozzles air supplying tubular member 71,which is secured to the box wrapping machine iii such relative positionto its blank receiving platen 58 as to enablethe nozzle to receive, gripby air suction, and hold each blank as it is delivered to it by thetable until the wrapping machine takes control of it, which is instantlyafter the table moves backward from the receiving nozzle.

It is necessary in order to make proper blank delivering and receivingconnection with the oscillating nozzle and the platen of the wrappingmachine that our transfer mechanism be so positioned relative to it thatthe blank discharging and delivering table move directly and centrallyover and close to the top of the platen 58 of the box wrapping machine,and we have so arranged and positioned our transfer mechanism that itsblank delivering table reciprocates directly over and close to and withthe center of its width in line with the center of the width of theplaten of the box wrapping machine, and the delivering movement of theblanks at the end of the blank discharging and delivering. table, is"timed accurately with the blank receiving and box engaging movement orthe box wrapping machine; consequently the delivery of our gummed blanksis automatic, successive and continuous, as long as the wrapping machineis in operation, and it only remains to so time the blank gripping airsuction and releasing mechanism of the oscillating nozzle that theblanks will be instantly gripped when the table is at the limit of itsforward stroke, where they will be held until the wrapping machine takescontrol of them, and then be instantly released in the following mannerfrom the gumming machine.

A bar 72 is attached by any suitable means to the opposite side of thebox wrapping machine, from the side our transfer mechanism is positionedon, and on this bar adjustable sliding journal blocks 73 are secured bycap screws 74. These blocks have base portions 75 that are provided withslots 76 through which the cap screws extend and are. threaded into thebar 72. This bar is positioned close enough to the platen 58 of the boxwrapping machine to enable the blocks 73 to be adjustably set indifferent positions to bring the largest and smallest sizes of blankscentrally of the platen.

These journal blocks support the opposite ends of the oscillating airsuction nozzle, which comprises a tubular member or tube 77 that extendsbetween and into the blocks and is rota-tively mounted in them topartially rotate or oscillate. The opposite ends of this tube T? areclosed and it is connected with the upper end of the pipe 71, whichextends downwardly from it. On its side tacing the platen, the tube isprovided with a plurality of outwardly extending air suction tubes 57that are curved upwardly and are of a size at their end portions to fitloosely into the recesses 55 in the advance or forward edge of the table28, and these air suction tubes are so positioned relative to theextreme forward position of the advance edge of the table as to bringtheir air suction inlet apertures in straight aline ment with the airsuction inlet apertures 29 in the suction box78 of the advance edge ofthe table. The positioning of these tubes so they will swing up into therecesses 55 of the table in alinement with its air suction apertures isdone by proper adjustment of the journal blocks on their supporting bar7 2. The oscillating reciprocal swinging movement imparted to this airsuction blank gripping nozzle is necessary in order to withdraw the endsof the air tubes out of the path of the advancing edges of the blanks asthey lie on the table gripped to its suction apertures, and also so thatthe air suction inlet ends of these tubes have a direct upward movementagainst the under and ungummed side of the blanks, which up ward contactmovement gives the suction impulse force a firm tight grip on the blanksthat enables the tubes to positively hold them a ainst, the backward orrearward stroke or the tables reciprocal movement.

There are a number of ways in which an oscillating movement may be givento this oscillating air suction nozzle. We preferably, however, carryout this feature of our invention in the following manner:

To the lower end portion of the depending pipe 71 of the nozzle, a clip7 9 is secured, to which one end of a connecting rod is pivotallysecured. The opposite end of this connectingrod is pivotally secured toa rock arm 81 intermediate of its ends. One end of this rock arm-ispivotally connected to a shaft 82 that is secured to the side frames ofthe machine. The opposite end of this rock arm 81 is provided with aroller 83 that engages a recess 84 formed in the disk 64. which as itrotates imparts an oscillating movement to the nozzle, the roller 83being held against the cam by a spring 85 attached to the rock arm 81and to the bed plate. The table on its blank delivering and discharging.movement is moved directly over the platen of the wrapping machine, andthe cylinder pistons actuating cam 64. and the oscillating leversoscillating cam 84: are so relatively timed as to tilt the nozzle upagainst the blanks at the end of the tables blank advancing movement,and grip and hold it until after the table has move backward and leftthe blank resting on the platen of the blank wrapping machine, and thetubes still hold it until the wrapping machines mechanism takes controlof the blank by movin a box down against it, which occurs a mostinstantly after the blank is left in the grip of the oscillating nozzlesair suction blank receiving and gripping tubes. 7

The air pumps which connect with the tubes 1 and the table 28 consist ofcylinders 12 and12 and their pistons, the piston rodof each pump pistonbeing connected to a crank arm, which in turn is engaged by a cam thatis mounted on the driving shaft of the machine.

The piston rod of the pump 12 is connected to one end of a rock arm 31that is secured at its opposite end to a shaft 85. This rock arm 31 isalso provided with a roller 86 which engages a cam groove'87 that isformed on the disk 30 that is secured on the main driving shaft 65. Thepiston of the pump 12"- is connected to one end of a rock arm 88 that issecured at its opposite end to the shaft 85. This rock arm is alsoprovided with a roller 89 that engages a cam groove 90 that is formed ona disk 91 that is secured to the main driving shaft. This pump isconnected to the air suction box of the blank discharging and deliverytable 28 by a flexible tube 92, which is operatively connected to it,and to the air pump. The air pump 56 is driven by the rock arm 60 andthe cam- 63 which is secured on the auxiliary shaft 27, and this piimfurnishes an air suction force for the. blanlir receiving oscillatingnozzle, as has been fully described in detail above.

When transferring gummed blanks, the blank engaging ends of the suckertubes become sticky and gummed up from contact with the gummed surfaceof the blanks, and it is necessary that they be cleaned or wiped off bya wiper device after feeding each blank. 7

Our invention contemplates any means for effectually cleaning the blankengaging faces of the sucker tubes, and for this purpose we illustrate amechanism which we preferably use, and which consists of a Water holdingpan or box 93 which is secured to a bar 94 that is extended between andis secured to the brackets 36. A shaft 95 is journaled in the brackets36 and carries arms 96, having rollers on their free ends which normallyextend down into the water in the box 93. A lever arm 97 is rigidlysecured at one end to the shaft 95, and is pivotally connected to a link98, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the upper end ofa rock arm 99, which is loosely mounted intermediate of its ends on theshaft 82. The lower end of the rock arm 99 carries a roller which entersa cam groove on the opposite side of the disk 64 from the cam groove 63.The groove 100 is timed to rock the arm 99, which through the medium ofthe arms 98 and 97, rocks the shaft 95, and thereby swings the rollercarrying arms 96 up so that their rollers engage and wipe the ends ofthe sucker tubes as they start back after depositing a blank on thetable 28, after which the roller arms are again submerged in the waterof the box 93, by the actlon of the cam 100.

Our blank transferring mechanism provides a simple and reliableautomatically feeding apparatus that can be applied to differentmachines and to different uses in the art of transferring blanks andlabels of different sizes and kinds, and while we have illustrated anddescribed the preferred construction and arrangement of our invention wedo not wish to be limited to it, as many changes might be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a blank transfer mechanism, the combination of the resilientlybearing air suction tubes, their supporting and sliding block, the fixedbar on which said sliding block reciprocates and its cam actuatedmechanism that raises and lowers said tubes at the opposite ends oftheir reciprocal travel, and the cam actuated rock arm and levermechanism that reciprocate said tubes on its supporting bar.

2. In a blank transfer mechanism, the combination of the reciprocalmovement block till advancing air suction impulse tubes, with thereciprocating table arranged to receive said blocks from said air tubes,the slideways on which said table is reciprocally mounted, the threadedshaft and nut blocks thereon, and the lazy tongs attached to them andsaid table and the pinion on said shaft, the adjustable trunnion rockbar and the cam and rock arm mechanism for reciproc/ating said rock barto rotate said pinion and threaded rod to expand and contract said lazytongs to reciprocate said tube, and the row'ot air suction apertures insaid table operatively connected to an air suction impulse producingmechanism includ ing a cam and rock arm operated air pump connected tosaid apertures.

3, in a blank transfer mechanism, the combination with the air suctionblank gripping and delivery table and the blank receiving nozzlearranged to receive the blanks from said table, the air suctionoperating and releasing mechanism for operating the blank gripping andreleasing mechanism of said table and said nozzle, and means including acam actuated lever mechanism for oscillating said nozzle to intermeshwith said table and grip and hold the blanks as they are released bysaid table.

4. In a blank transfer mechanism, the combination of the blank feedingmechanisml with the platen of a box wrapping machine, said conveyingmechanism being arranged to dischargingly deliver its blanks to said boxwrapping machine, and a blank receiving and gripping mechanismadjustably mounted on said boa wrapping machine and arranged to receiveblanks from' said conveying mechanism and hold them in operativeposition to be controlled by said boa wrapping machine.

5. in a blank transfer mechanism, the combination or" a plurality of airsuction air impulse tubes, said tubes being opera ely connected to anair suction producing mecl anism, said tubes being arranged to engagethe blanks with a resilient bearing pressure, a slotted bar extendingtransversely across the machine to which said tubes are adjustablysecured, a reciprocating bar arranged to support said air tubes andtheir supporting bar, means including vertically reciprocating bar and acam actuated mechanism for reciprocally raising and lowering said airtubes, and a cam controlled lever mechanism for reciprocating said airsuction tubes, a table on which said tubes deposit said blanks, saidtable being provided with blank gripping suction apertures arranged togrip the blank when deposited thereon by said air tubes, and means forreciprocally moving said table to convey the blank to a position to beagain gripped and conveyed to the platen of a box covering machine.

6. in a blanktransfer mechanism, the

combination with blank feeding mechanism, means for gripping blanks andadvancing to a position to be fed to the platen of a box coveringmachine, said means com prising air suction tubes arranged to move downagainst said blanks, means including slideways and a cam operated levermechanism for moving said blanks while held gripped by said air tubes toa table member provided with air suction blank gripping apertures, andwith air suction blank gripping mechanism, means connected with said airtube and its blank advancing mechanism for depositing each blank in theair suction apertures of said table, means for simultaneously releasingsaid blanks when deposited by the air tubes and for gripping them by theair suction mechanism of said table, and means for gripping said blankswhen held on said table and for moving them to the platen of a boxcovering machine, said means comprising a right and left handed threadedshaft, nut blocks threaded to said shaft, a lazy tong device secured atone end to said table and at its opposite end to said nut blocks, andmeans including a pinion mounted on said shaft and a tooth rock bar inmesh with said pinion and including a cam operated mechanism connectedwith said rock bar, whereby said rock bar rotates said pinion with saidthreaded shaft and causes said nut blocks to travel toward and away fromthe center of said shaft and thereby expand and contract said'lazytongs, which reciprocatively moves said blank holding table to aposition to be engaged by a device that will grip the blank on the tableand move it to the platen of a box covering machine.

'2'. L1 a-blank. transfer mechanism, the combination with blank feedingmeans and the blank discharging and delivery mecha nism, and the blankreceiving platen of a box wrapping machine, said delivery mechanismcomprising a reciprocating blank supporting and holding member arrangedto move the blanks one at a time over said platen, and means connectedto said Wrapping machine but operating from said gumming machine forreceiving and gripping the blanks when released from said table and forholding said blanks over said platen until said box wrapping machinetakes c0ntrol oi it.

8. in a blank transfer mechanism, the

mechanism operably supported on said box wrapping machine for receivingand gripping said blanks as they are releasingly delivered to it by saidblank discharging mechanism, said blank receiving mechanism beingarranged to hold said blanks until said wrapping machine takes controlof them. i

9. In a blank transfer mechanism, the combination with any suitableblank feeding, conveying and free-in mechanism, with a blank gripping,transferring, discharging and delivering mechanism, said gripping andtransferring mechanism comprising the air suction blank gripping tubesand the reciprocating table provided with a blank gripping and releasingair actuated mechanism, and a blank receiving device ar ranged toreceive and grip the blank delivered to it by said table, said blankreceiving device comprising an oscillating blank gripping and releasingair operating nozzle arranged to intermesh with the blank grippingmechanism of said table and arranged and adapted to grip, hold andretain and then release said blanks at predetermined periods of timeafter they have been released by said table.

10. In a blank transfer mechanism, the combination with the frame, thedriving shaft mounted therein, the cam and cam disk on said shaft, therock arm supported by said frame and in engagement with said cam, theconnecting rod connected to said rock arm, the sliding block connectedto said connecting rod, and the fixed slideway bar, with the blankgripping air suction tubes and their support adjustabl mounted on saidsliding block, the air tu e member secured to said tubes support, thetubular connections between said tubular member and said air suctiontubes, the flexible tube connected to said fixed tubular member, the airpump to which said tube is connected, and with the main frame of thegumming machine, the cam shaft mounted thereon, a cam thereon, a rockshaft supported by said frame and arranged to be actuated by said cam, apiston in said air pump connected to said rock shaft, means including acam actuated rock arm and a reciprocating bar attached to said slidingbar for imparting a reciprocating movement to said air tubes thatenables them to be moved against and to lift said blanks, and means forcleaning the ends of said tubes.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

MELVILLE E. PETERS. GEORGE H. FATH. ALBERT F. MILLER.

' Witnesses:

G. SARGENT Ema m, EmzABE'rH SMITH.

